Looking At Phoenix's Lottery Wins

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The WNBA Draft Lottery will be happening soon, and one team is going to get lucky. There were a few teams that struggled this season, and now, they will have a chance to add another young player who will contribute to the team’s rebuild.

Last year, the Dallas Wings won the lottery, and they selected a special player with the first pick. They drafted Paige Bueckers, who had a big year with UConn and helped them win a championship. She averaged 19.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.1 steals.

Sep 11, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) is fouled by Phoenix Mercury guard Kahleah Copper (2) during the first half at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Bueckers won Rookie of the Year this season, and she will be a star in this league for years to come. The year before, the Indiana Fever won the lottery, and they drafted Caitlin Clark. Clark would end up winning Rookie of the Year that season, and this year, her team took a step in the right direction.

The Phoenix Mercury have had this experience as well, as they have won the draft lottery multiple times. The WNBA introduced the Draft Lottery back in 2002, and the first team to win it was Seattle Storm. They used that pick to draft Sue Bird.

The next team to receive the first pick was the Cleveland Rockers. They drafted LaToya Thomas in the 2003 WNBA Draft, and she played with them for a year before going elsewhere. The team folded after that season, and their players went to new teams. Penny Taylor was included in that, and she headed to Phoenix.

Phoenix’s first time winning the lottery was in 2004, and they selected a special player. They drafted Diana Taurasi, and she went on to have an illustrious career. The Mercury struggled in 2003, and Taurasi was the start of a turnaround.

Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) walks around with the WNBA Championship Trophy during the 2014 Phoenix Mercury championship team reunion on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024 at Footprint Center in Phoenix. / Owen Ziliak/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A few years later, the Mercury won the lottery, and they selected Lindsey Harding with that pick. However, her time was cut short, as she was traded to the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for Tangela Smith.

Then, the Mercury had successful seasons before having another poor season. They struggled in the 2012 season, and in the end, they won the lottery once more. They drafted Brittney Griner with that pick.

Apr. 20, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA: Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner (center) holds her jersey with head coach Corey Gaines (left) and team president Amber Cox during a press conference at the US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Phoenix won the lottery three times, and with the way they played this season, it will be a while before they win another lottery. The Mercury have their stars, and come next year, they may win a championship.

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